Globacom Signs N120b Upgrade Deal With Huawei

Nigeria’s leading telecommunications outfit, Globacom has signed a total system upgrade deal worth N120billion, ($750m).
At a press briefing at the Mike Adenuga Towers in Victoria Island, Lagos State, the telecommunication giant officially partnered Chinese firm, Huawei Technologies, to tee off the total systems upgrade.The upgrade which is expected to be completed in six months will include the installation of new micro-wave radios, control base stations and a back-up radio. The system modernization upgrade was embarked upon because the telecoms outfit wants to provide the best technology and network to its customers.
Jameel Mohammed, Group Chief Operating Officer, described the upgrade as a commitment on the part of the company. He said the company has begun delivering unlimited opportunity to its customers but wants to do more. “At the beginning of 2013, I made a commitment on behalf of the company that we will attach a lot of importance to our network because if customers do not enjoy the network, they cannot enjoy our products,” he said.
Upgrading the network with the latest technology is what Globacom has begun to do. According to Mohammed, the upgrade process in an ongoing act but for the major upgrade like this, it happens once in five years. “We are upgrading every element of our network that provides services to consumers,” he said.
He added that the upgrade is a 10-fold step up for their systems. “We currently have 10gig of transport network but we are upgrading to 100 so it can accommodate all the voice and data traffic for at least 10 years.”
Mohammed stated that the memorandum of understanding the company has signed with Huawei will translate to upgrade, installation and commission.
David Fan, vice president, West Africa, Huawei Technologies, said the contract between the companies will prove a healthy one. “We share similar culture and working ideology. This partnership will give Globacom the competitive advantage to cope with its growing customer base,” he said.